Tag Archives: #inspiration

Spirituality

Seasons Change

Fall is here! This conjures up thoughts of cooler temperatures, leaves changing color, and we begin looking forward to our first fire in a while. Yet in Texas it’s still hot as hell.

My 50th high school reunion is coming up next week. I won’t be attending. High school was a fun period in my life. I had a lot of friends and an active social life. But that was then.

Today my life is different. I have new friends and keep myself busy with work, writing and my podcast. And a few more projects as well! The people from my high school days that were most important I am still in communication with.

Seasons change. People change and grow. Sometimes people are in your life for just a period. They weren’t meant to stay around.

Keep going, and keep growing. Life is a beautiful learning experience…

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Spirituality

Demand More

You and I are in competition, but not with each other. We are competing with ourselves, striving to do better. I can only run my race and it’s the same for you.

Comparison is a dangerous trap. When we compare ourselves to others we have a tendency to look at life through an out of focus lens. God gave us our life, and he created us to do his will on this side of eternity. When the day arrives when we meet our maker, God will ask us what we did with the talents he gave us. He’s not going to compare us to anyone else.

If you feel like you are just going through the motions in life, it’s time to change. We aren’t going to find fulfillment if our life consists of going to work, coming home and watching television, going to bed and doing it again the next day.

It’s time to demand more from yourself. God won’t put us in a position to fail. But he will stretch us and grow us into the man or woman he created us to be.

The time is now. Don’t wait and don’t worry. God doesn’t demand anything of us he hasn’t equipped us for. It’s time…

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Spirituality

Shocked

The country is in trouble. There’s no margin for differing opinions or beliefs. While I refuse to give up hope, I’m watching the division widen. This doesn’t look like the country I grew up in.

We have always argued about politics. The old saying was, if you want to get along with others, don’t talk about politics, sports or religion. Sports and religion have taken a backseat to politics. In some ways, politics has become some people’s religion.

The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk has brought out some real ugliness in people. The comments and celebrations about this mans death are inhumane. It doesn’t matter what his politics or what his organization stood for, a 31 year old man was killed, leaving a young wife and two toddlers behind. I cannot understand how decent people could be happy about this. Perhaps they really aren’t decent, just sick, twisted and dark.

It would be wonderful if bad things didn’t happen in this world. But that would mean this world would be Heaven. It’s not Heaven, just an imperfect place for us to live until we reach eternity.

Take care with your words. The tongue is a dangerous weapon…

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Spirituality

The Power of Gratitude

Are you someone who looks for the good in life? Perhaps you have been described as a “glass half full” kind of person. That’s quite a compliment.

Everyone has challenges in their lives. Everyone struggles occasionally. But we can always find something good within the difficulty. Can you see? Is your mind still working? If you answered yes, you have all the tools necessary to bring you through the mess. Add some active faith to the mix and you will be unstoppable.

Actively practicing gratitude changes your brain in a good way. You focus on the good in your life and not on what you lack. Comparison is no longer part of the equation. Peace and contentment reign, not chaos and anxiety.

Take inventory. Write, physically write down all the good in your life. Keep the list with you and add to it when something comes to mind.

Try it for 30 days. Your outlook will change greatly. What do you have to lose other than a little chaos? And that’s a good thing to lose…

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Spirituality

Caution

Are you a risk taker? Before you answer, consider that every day you are alive is a risk. Driving to work has risks. So does going out to eat. Anyone who has ever had food poisoning will attest to that.

Calculated risks are part of life. If I don’t risk driving to work, then the consequence is I don’t get paid. Life is full of trade offs. We just don’t think about them.

Consider the hell you will live with when you don’t pursue your purpose. Yes, it can be scary and difficult. There are hurdles to leap over and setbacks to pick yourself up from. But the truth is, when you are pursuing what God wants you to do, you cannot fail. God isn’t in the business of failing. We do the work, with applied faith, and He does the behind the scenes work. Trust him.

Doing what you were put here to do is going to be full of challenges. Our unseen enemy wants to keep us from living a fulfilling life. Giving glory to God, even during the painful times really pisses Satan off.

So, throw caution to the wind and believe. Believe in yourself and believe in the one who created you. He’s our biggest cheerleader…

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Uncategorized

Walking Tours

For the last three days I have been in Chicago. I’m returning home today. But man I have seen a lot of downtown Chicago!

I set out earlier this morning looking for a specific restaurant recommended by my assistant. Once again, Google directions failed me. Horribly. Oh well, I got in a nice walk before I found the restaurant. Google sent me a mile the wrong direction.

Walking is wonderful exercise. It’s easier on your knees, and we can walk farther than we can run. Walking allows us to experience nature while we are doing something that benefits our bodies.

Get outside. Walk around. Your future self will thank you…

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Spirituality

Gunned Down

One day he was living his life, enjoying his wife and children and engaged in a challenging career. The next thing you know, he was assassinated right before our very eyes. From all appearances it seems that he died instantly.

In the aftermath, his wife and children had to learn to navigate life without their husband and father. The dreams they had for their life together went cold. Life for them, and us, was forever changed.

Daily life became like existing in the nebula, a giant cloud of gas and dust. Yet, inside the nebula many stars are born. Good can come from evil. Light will shine in the darkness. You just have to look for it.

Our nation has survived since the assassination of John Kennedy in 1963. The Secret Service learned from it. And we have never forgotten the impact that President Kennedy had on the world…

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Spirituality

Cheated

Have you ever had someone cheat you out of something? Maybe you were convinced of some great deal or some “can’t lose” opportunity. No matter the circumstances, it sucks to have someone cheat you.

Are you cheating yourself, though? You have been gifted with unique gifts that can be used to benefit others. If you are not using them, keeping them for yourself, then you are cheating yourself out of a lot of fulfillment. And you are cheating others by not sharing your talents.

Use what you have been given. Take inventory of what you are good at. Write down what you enjoy doing. Then put it into practice.

The world needs what you have to offer. Use your talents before it’s too late…

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Spirituality

Super Sized

The 2004 documentary, Super Size Me brought the ill effects of fast food to the forefront of American society. For one month, the documentary filmmaker had to eat three meals per day at McDonalds. He was required to say “yes” every time the server asked if he wanted to super size his meal. The fast food diet seriously compromised his health.

Morgan Spurlock, the filmmaker and star, gained 24 pounds. His cholesterol shot up to 230 from 178, and his liver developed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Spurlock became depressed, and he found himself craving McDonalds food. This only took one month to come about. Yet, it took him a year to lose the weight and regain his health.

Robert Kennedy, Jr. is catching hell for leading the efforts to clean up our food. Children have been affected the most. A majority of kids already have a chronic disease, and childhood obesity is skyrocketing. Parents want answers and they want healthier choices. Politicians want to quiet Kennedy because the money from lobbyists is enormous.

A new voice has arrived in Washington DC. In our local communities, we must demand that recess returns to the school day. Kids need to get active and work up a sweat for an hour each day. Adults do, too…

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Spirituality

Hate Me

Many people have a strong desire to be liked by everyone. They seek attention and get validation through “likes and comments.” I’m cut from a different cloth. It’s nice to be liked, even admired, but that’s not my motivation.

Telling the truth is vital for building trust, and trust is built over time. Sometimes the truth is a painful message. When you find yourself in the position of having to deliver a difficult message, do it with some gentleness and self-control.

Politicians are the worst at pandering. They will say whatever pisses off the fewest people in order to secure votes. Getting elected to Congress is a pretty good gig. I believe if we removed the fourth branch of government, special interests and lobbyists, we would attract better candidates. When the money leaves, so do the grifters, the pandering masses.

There are a small handful of people who criticize me for spreading encouragement and hope. Their hateful comments don’t bother me. I figure they need encouragement more than most if they find fault with what I write. They might need a little examination of their heart as well.

God alone is in the business of changing the heart of mankind. My job is to continue writing what he inspires me to write. The hate will continue, but so will I…

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